Signaling device



ug. 7, 1934. B L, BOBROFF 1,969,116

SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1929 JEUEZLZLL- @abra/7 5 forms of signal devices which may be secured to rality o f signal 'lamps are carried by the body porwalls form a dihedral angle between themthus form asubstantially oval side face.

Patented Auf'. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFC 1,969,116 Y n 'Y SIGNALING DEVICE I Bornett L. Bobroi, Racine, Wis. Application August 3,1929, serial No. 384,279 .z claims. (c1. 177-329) This invention relates to signaling devices and Further. objects are to provide a signal device. A',

is particularly directed to signaling devices adaptin which the body portion carries an insulating ed for use on automotive vehicles. panel provided with outwardly projecting parti- Objects of this invention are to provide novel tions formed rigid with the panel, in which a p1u.

Opposite sides of an automotive vehicle and which tion and separated by successive partitions and yin are so constructed that each of the devices prewhich the outwardly projecting front .and {r'ear sents afront wall anda back wall arranged at walls are preferably formed with rounded outer an angle to each other so that the planes of the edges which cooperate with the body portion to rendering the front wall visible from the front Further objects are to provide a signaling de` of the vehicle and throughout a wide side angle, vice forautomotive vehicles which is provided and the back wall visible from the rear of vthe with front and rear walls and with a novel lock- Avehicle and throughout a wide side angle, the ing means which 4will not readily become loosened, front and back walls being preferably formed 'of 4from the jarring yof the vehicle, and which is so 3l light transmitting material and having normally made thata looking screw provides a positive lock invisible designations or insignia thereon, adapt- OI the WallSiIld iS S related 'GO the dSVCG that it ed to be selectively rendered visible by the selec- YCannot be completely removed at any time.V tivelighting of any of a plurality ofsignal lamps. y An embodiment ofthe inventionis shown in I Further objects are to provide aconstruction theaccoinpan'ying drawing, in which: l

in which the signal devices may serve, not only Figure 1 is a `side elevation, partly in section, in their capacity of signal means, but may. reof thesignal device.

place the usual parking side lights and maythus ,Figure 21s asectional IView Yon the line serve in the additional capacity of parking lights. of Figure 1.

f 2 5 This invention-is designed to provide signal vFigure 31S ,a Yflagrrlfillaly end vewofuthe *89 devices which maybe used in any suitable sig- Vdevice showing the locking means. i

nal system such as that disclosed in my copend- Referring to the. drawing it will be seen that ing application, Serial Number 377,82L-f1led July the device comprises a body portion 1, having l2, 1929 for Signaling systems for automotive a rearwardly Aprojecting portion 2 provided with vehicles, v an aperture 3y adapted to receive a tubular Con- 85 In driving automobiles in congested districts, `ductor-carrying stem. Preferablyja recessed porupon highways, at crossings, and at other places, tion 4 is provided forthe reception of a locking it is desirable that the driver of a vehicle be ennut (not shown). The body portion is provided abled to signal, not only to followingl drivers or with a hollow interior whichcommunicates with l 3 5 pedestrians, but also to those at thesides, front the aperture 3 by means of t -e passage-way or :90

and back of his intended direction of travel. opening 5 through which conductors leading. to This invention is designed to provide `a signal the signal lamps, hereinafter described, may

device which may be mounted upon the side of pass. Y. 4 I I an automotive vehicle, which is so made that it The body portion is provided with upper and will give signals 4indicating the intention of the lower flanges G between which an insulating panel 95 driver, and in which the signals are visible from 7 is mounted. rlhis insulating panel may be prothe front, rear and sides of the vehicle, so that vided with a rearwardly projecting narrow porthe drivers or pedestrians may accordingly vary tion, as shown in Figure 2, which fits between or continue their courses without confusion or the forward edges of the body portion. The in- V4 5 hesitation. sulating panel is, therefore, very accurately po- 1 00 Further objects are to provide a signal device sitioned upon the body portion by means of this which is approximately triangular in horizontal construction and serves to close the hollow intecross section, which has front and rear walls prorior of the body portion. It is retained in place vided with designations or insignia and formed by means of screws as indicated.

op of glass or similar material, which is provided The insulating panel 7 carries a plurality of 1-.05

with a body portion to which at least one of the lamp sockets 8 which receive the signal lamps 9. front and rear walls is hingedly joined, prefer- The signal lamps are adapted to be selectively ably by means of a hinge having a vertical axis, lighted in any suitable manner, as described in and in which the front and rear walls are provided my copending application above noted.

' 5 5 with interlocking edges. The body portion carries a pair of side memljlO The front and rear members are provided with upper and lower rear lugs 14 which are hinged,

by means of thepintle pin 15, to the necksZV ofthev body portion'of the device.

As shown particularly in Figures 2' and3',- the! side members 10 have interlocking edgesrsoasfto secure an adequate and reliable joint between the abutting edges.

Means are provided for holding the side members Yin closed or locked position, as shown inFigure 2. Thesel means may comprise a lug 16 which tsv Within or is overlapped by the edge ofl the othermember. The lug 16 carries a headedy screw 1'7k whose rear end is enlarged, as shown in'Figure 2,- to prevent complete unscrewing of the screw. The member which -does not carry the lug 16 is providedv with a slot 18 through which the shank of the screw may pass and is provided with a recess 19 adapted to receive the head ofthe screw when the screw is screwedA tight; The screw, therefore, provides apositive lockv for holding ythe device closed.

Itis toI be noted that partitions 20 are loca-ted between successive electric lamps, as shown in Figuresl and 2.A These partitions are, preferably formed of insulating' material and Vmay be mould-y ed integrally withthe insulating panel '1,if'desired,Y or may beA forced within` slots' formed in the insulating panel asindicated in the drawing. These partitions may have' their'rear corners trimmed oil along slanting lines on their inner side's-asindicatedV at 21 of Figure 2'to avoid'the necessity of an accurate't between-these edges an-dftheadjacent portion of the bodyl portion. 'I hese partitions are preferably formedof insu'- latingg material 'as it is'intended that they shall contact'with the glass front and rear walls 1l' of theI device and as'there is, therefore, less'tendency to cracking of the glass walls than if the partitions had been Vformed of metal It is to'be distinctly understood, however, that itis within the province of this invention to formv the partitions of metal if so desired.

Particular emphasis is laid upon the fact that the front and rearwalls are outwardly convergingA andy form'between them a dihedral angle. This construction insures wide side angles for the walls, throughout which, the walls are visible.

In otherA words, the front wall is visible from the 'signallamps ysignal lamps.

front and through a wide side angle and the rear wall is visible from the rear and throughout a wide rear angle. Y

By means of this construction pedestrians'and other drivers may be easily apprised of the intention of the driver whether or not the pedestrians are located in the front, rear or at the sides of the vehicle provided with the signaling device.

Itwill be seen that a very simple,l serviceable and easily produced construction-hasbeen provided by this invention.

It will be seen further that the devices may be attached to the sides of automotive vehicles such,

.for` instance, as automobiles, with the assurance that avery attractive and effective signaling device is obtained and one which is visible throughout wideside angles aswell as from the front and back.

As amatter of fact, the signaling devices may replace the parking lights if so desired.

Although the' inventionhasbeen described 'in considerable-detail, it is intended that such description be interpreted as illustrativey rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously embodied and vis to be interpreted asclaimed.

a supporting rstrip across ythefront of "said channel, lamp sockets carried by said strip, signal lamps carriedv b'ysaid sockets, partitions between said signal lamps; a rear lug'carried by said rear wall and having an opening communieating with said channel, andapair of sidepanels O having lig-ht-v transmittingl portions, said side` panels converging towards the front of` said device, and havinginwardly' turned portions rear portions'of said side panelsl apart, whereby x1 a forwardly converging device is'produced-,and whereby said sidepanelsare spaced from said 2j. A device comprisinga body portionhaving a pair of'spaced vertical'walls and alrear wall 1 :forming a channel to-receive conductors,` said rear wall 'ha-ving an opening through which conductors;r may pass, a supporting stripfacross the front of said channel, lamp sockets carried by said strip, signal lamps carried by saidfsockets, '1

vpartitionsbetween said signallamps, and a pair of side panelsA having light transmitting portions, said side panels converging towards the front of said device, and having'V inwardly turned portions hingedlyjoined'to said side walls to space #i the rear portion's'of said sideY panels apart, whereby a forwardly convergingv device-is' produced, and whereby said side panels are-spacedfrom said BORNETT LLBOBRoF-F.l 3

Vhingedlyjoined to said `side wallsl to space the Sii "iso 

